Stability, Prettily

Image: James Niland

Struts, braces, load-bearing walls... Our efforts at structural integrity are all very well for boring endeavours like holding up bridges, holding up houses and holding up random other stuff. You know, the actual 'structural integrity' part of it. But when it comes to aesthetics. When it comes to beauty. When it comes to looking like you have lightning coming out of your hands. There, the spiders emphatically win.

Or so it was once thought...

Queen of the Andes

Image: inyucho
Puya raimondii

*pew pew*

Commander Humperdinck grimaced as he fired photon-rockets from his shoulder mounted, heavy light-bazooka. White trails arced over the carnage of the Andesian Royal Hall and exploded into multi-coloured sparks that sent vegetable men sprawling in all directions. The hall filled with the stench of vegetarian roast dinner.

Phylliroe

Image: Fabien Michenet/nuditahiti.com

It's a sea slug that thinks it's a fish! And it's so good at being a fish you may well need a second look to decide if it's a weird-looking sea slug or a weird-looking fish.

Rat-tailed Maggot

Image: Biopix: N Sloth

Goodness me! Whatever next? Louse-headed mouse? Flea-legged parking inspector? Cockroach-winged PR guru?

Big Stick Diplomacy

Walk softly...

Video: Inner Space Center

Drag a big stick behind you.

Hairy Shrimp

Phycocaris simulans

It's a tiny shrimp...